Monthly Archives: September 2017

As Seed approaches and anticipation builds, the last thing you might be thinking about is the maggot infested food scraps that have to be taken home because someone in your camp brought an oversupply of perishable food which all turned into an icky mess of decomposing grossness in the stifling paddock heat.

Thinking ahead and pre-planning is critical to making sure you avoid this and other potential MOOP (Matter Out Of Place) related disasters.

Hopefully, you already know that there are no rubbish bins at Seed – except the ones you bring, which you then take away with you. So be prepared to manage and transport all your compost, recyclables, and general waste.

If this is your first Burning Seed you will soon learn that the less MOOP you bring, the less MOOP you have to deal with during the burn, and the less MOOP you have to take back off site with you. MOOP Magic* is all in the preparation – it’s about not bringing MOOP to Seed in the first place.

Hot MOOP Magic tips from experienced burners

Food not MOOP - Be realistic about how much food you will get around to cooking and eating. Any perishable food you don’t eat/drink is not going to be pretty after a week in the heat. We shouldn’t have to spell it out, but don’t bring a whole chicken and then realise too late that you have to take the rotting carcass home with you.

Composting – you can’t throw your food scraps in Matong State Forest. Yes, that includes those pistachio shells and orange peels. The forest is a semi-arid grassland habitat: nutrient-rich food scraps from 4000 burners in one week will promote invasive weeds that out-compete native species. Plan for your food scraps (ideally don’t create any). Work out how you are going to get them home to a compost heap. Bokashi composting is a great solution, as you will avoid nasty odors associated with bagging your compost. Since the bucket you use should be tightly sealed, you avoid maggot infestation. See below for some Bokashi composting info.

Packaging – Strip off excess packaging from anything new before you leave home, including food items. Remove any boxes or wrappers or anything that will instantly become recycling or waste when you get to Seed. Basically, don’t bring MOOP to Seed in the first place!

Bins – Even with the best MOOP Magic skills you will likely end up with some recycling, compost and waste to deal with. Whether you choose reusable hard plastic tubs or garbage bags, make sure you have a plan before you leave home. If using garbage bags get strong ones to ensure they go the distance – which is all the way home with you. It’s not ok to dump your waste at the nearest town, and, be advised that the local tip will not be open on the Monday public holiday in NSW.

Glitter and other itsy bitsy things – Glitter can be fun for some, however when it ends up in the intestinal track of a worm (or the bird that eats the worm) it has lost its sparkle. So shine from within and avoid wearing anything that can fall off your beautiful self. Avoid MOOP mayhem by not having loose, sequins, bindis, bean bag beans or other little things. If you can’t guarantee it won’t come loose, leave it at home – especially feather boas. If bringing carpet – gaff the edges to stop loose fibers fraying and flying free.

Smokers – Ciggy butts are our number one Leave No Trace problem at Seed. Smokers are encouraged to bring a personal pocket butt bin. Old mint tins, containers, or film canisters work a treat. Bling them up, make them yours, and bring some spares for your fellow burners. Represent for your less-conscious smoker buddies and pick up any piggy butts you see around the paddock. Have a friendly chat to anyone you see ditching their ciggies on the ground – ask them if they have a pocket butt bin, and if not, why not? All smokers at Burning Seed should have one!

Community participation – We are all in this together. If you see MOOP while out and about on the paddock, somebody should pick it up, and you are somebody! Carrying a dedicated MOOP bag with you can really help. If you see a fellow burner MOOPing, have a chat. When you see others picking up MOOP, cheer them on!

Speak up on behalf of the forest and help ensure that together we Leave No Trace.

Continue reading below for some information on Bokashi composting.

Set up a rubbish and recycling system at your camp

Carry a bag around the Paddock and pick up any MOOP you find

Carry a small tin around to dispose of your cigarette butts in

Bokashi composting

This is an anaerobic composting system that uses bran inoculated with beneficial microbes to ferment the compost. The microbes are yeasts (Saccharomyces spp.), bacteria that produce lactic acids (Lactobacillus spp.), and phototrophic purple non-sulfur bacteria (Rhodopseudomonas spp.).

Steps

Food scraps of all kinds — including meat and dairy products banned from aerobic systems — are placed in the bokashi bucket with some inoculated bran (available for around $10 - $15), and sealed. Use approximately 1 tablespoon of mix for every cup of scraps. Use more when adding high protein foods, eg meat, fish, cheese and eggs.

Every second day, the leachate that is an inevitable byproduct of anaerobic composting needs to be drained. This leachate (juice) can then be diluted at a ratio of 1:100 when you get home, and used as a liquid fertilizer for your garden. Make sure you have a bottle to collect the leachate in and do not pour out at Matong State Forest as it will promote invasive weeds.

When the bucket is full, it needs to stay sealed for ten to twelve days. Then, you can either dig a hole in your garden, and put the compost into it, where it will become friable soil in two weeks time. Or incorporate your fermented Bokashi waste in to your normal compost heap, where it will act as a compost activator.

A single Bokashi bucket should provide enough space for all of the compostable waste that you create at Seed over a week.

Hi, we’re your Entry Crew. You haven’t really met us before. We’ve been around, had different names, thrown a lot of shade each other's way, but now we’ve come together to make sure that your re-entry experience is smooth, painless and more than a little exhilarating.

So who are we?

Quite possibly the first people you’ll see at Seed when you arrive this year are the Fluffers. You may remember talk about the Fun Police last year, but they didn’t survive the floods and so out of that the Fluffers were born. When you’re stuck in a queue on Wednesday they’ll be there entertaining and educating you and making sure that you have everything ready for gate. When things are less busy you’ll find them at Greeters, probably wanting hugs and shit too.

Gate Crew: Of course you know and love the Gate Crew! Just remember they aren’t as fond of you. Their job is to get you onto the Paddock as quickly and easily as possible. As your resident ‘Shrugs, Not Hugs’ entry crew, they’ll be doing their standard surly thing, maybe shouting at you through a megaphone, getting grumpy at you for not having enough water (or cold beer for them - do note, your grumpy gate crew can be easily appeased), throwing a few What Where Whens in the car, and, once that’s all done, scanning your ticket. Try not to let them see you cry, it only makes them stronger.

After that experience you may need a welcoming face and a hug, luckily Greeters are here for you. The Greeting Experience, especially for any Burgins (virgin burners), can be quite powerful, heck even the odd experienced and jaded burner has been known to moisten up at the experience. The Greeters will assist with leaving behind the troubles of the default world and getting you ripe and ready for the wonder of Burning Seed.

Lastly, and certainly not least, are Traffic & Camping, the newest kids on the block. When you’re exhausted from the drive (and the slight levels of trauma at Gate) all you want to do is find a spot to pitch your tent (not a euphemism) and these guys will help make sure it’s not in the middle of the paddock under the shade of the effigy. Look out for them in their green hi-vis and make sure to listen to their instructions. The only thing worse that setting up camp is having to do it twice as you are in the wrong spot. #DontBeThatCamp

You can be one of us!

Now you’ve met us all we have a favour to ask; we need a few more of you intrepid explorers, especially in the outer reaches of Deeper Space on the Gate and Traffic teams. So if you have a ticket, and want to get your Communal Effort on then head over to the Burning Seed website and sign up now!

And no matter whether you’re being fluffed, scanned, greeted or directed we love you all and can’t wait to see you very soon.

The Red Earth Rangers, FART Rangers and PEER Rangers will be pounding the Paddock in Deeper Space, helping the citizens of Red Earth City stay safe and sound in our biggest year yet!

What do the Rangers do? Essentially, they keep the people running smoothly. They are there to support anyone that needs a sober, calm and capable human when Radical Self-Reliance isn’t quite enough to resolve a challenge. They also provide a vital communication and observation link across the event. Rangers “Listen To Their Fucking Radios” at all times so if anything happens, Ranger HQ (aka Red 5) can alert the Event Manager, Site Manager, crew leads, security, medics and the whole shift of rangers to it…and we can all get on with having a good time.

When Burning Seed Deep Space 2016 was cancelled 40% of ticket holders were first-timers, or Burgins. There are so far 180 Red Earth Rangers watching out for us this year, with a hope of more signing up by the time the event begins (that means YOU! It's not too late!). With so many people attending for the first time, who are new to the Principles, these capable and caring volunteers will need all of us to be Civically Responsible even when we are having stupid amounts of fun! If you see something wrong; tell someone and do something.

The six key instructions at Ranger training are

You are never alone: Rangers always have a partner on duty with them, and work with several other pairs per shift.

Do nothing: Sounds a bit counter-intuitive at first, but rangers are volunteers who observe the event and assist people in resolving their own situations. They can call for assistance on your behalf, will be kind to you in a negative situation, and can provide guidance towards a solution. But they are not security/police/your parent.

Listen to your radio:At a busy event with patchy communication we can’t be radically self reliant all the time so the Rangers are essentially the keepers of the site comms. On a shift they need to be able to quickly manage things that could escalate to a real problem, like a lost child last seen near the dam, so listening is vital.

Listen to your f*&!ing radio:Rangers also use their radios and tell each other where the best food is being gifted.

Keep Calm:Burning is hard to do and participants can (and do) get overwhelmed from time to time. Little things can feel big and it’s a great thing to have the cool and calm Red Earth Rangers cruising past; they don’t even have to say anything, they just ooze calm, and it’s contagious. But seriously it is a really special skill to just stay even-keeled while stuff gets sorted out.

Rangers love DPI:DPI act all big and tough and badass and give Rangers a hard time for being all goody goody; but being goody goodies mean they just loooooove DPI anyway. “Stay hydrated DPi!!”

Beyond Rangers: FART & PEER Rangers

At Burning Seed there are two special divisions of Rangers: FART and PEER.

FART, the Fire Art Response Team are the flame masters. Every fire at Burning Seed needs a permit…every one. Yes, it’s a burn: No you can’t just burn stuff whenever or wherever you like. Rangers carry a map of permitted burn barrels and will follow the smoke signals to extinguish anything that is not on that map; If you burn somethign without a permit, you will probably get a sarcasm laden lecture and sideways stink eye for the rest of the event, and maybe for eternity. Don’t do it. You can burn your bad feelings about authority and oppression in the Temple on Sunday if you have a problem with this rule.

The PEER (Psychological Emotional Emergency Response) team has specialists Rangers for incidents that involve emotional distress. PEER Rangers are there to help restore emotional balance if things have gotten out of hand for a participant, but they are not security or the police. If something happens to you, like an assault of any kind or if you witness something you find distressing, PEER will bring their skills to help return you safely back into the event. If the situation is serious and you require the assistance of security or the Police, then a PEER Ranger can help support you. Remember to ASK before touching anyone.

We have an incredible security company on site this year to handle anything a bit too real. Rangers call in to Red 5, Red 5 calls the Site Manager and they call Security. No vigilantes required!

Wear your wristbands!

DON’T FORGET! We all need to make sure we keep our Deeper Space bracelets on. Rangers scan for naked wrists and it is a waste of your Paddock time to be stopped and escorted home to put it on. You are allowed to be naked any time you like (except at Kids’ Camp if you are over 10) but wear that pretty bracelet or you’ll be frogmarched to Gate and nobody wants to meet the wrath of Gate over a poor outfit choice*. We ALL pay to play, even those that work for the whole event, and that bracelet is your passport, no exceptions. (*Stylist tip; trimming the tails stops them from tightening and causing unsightly bulging and catastrophic circulation loss to the hand).

Sanctuary at Seed:

Another AMAZING new feature at Seed this year is the Sanctuary; a safe place for anyone who goes a bit too deep into space. Some otherwise good experiences can lead to scary times so these legends have volunteered to de-escalate difficulties, like talking spiders in your flight suit for example, and to make sure you don’t go for lift off once your flight suit is cleared of poetic vermin. Try not to end up there, it’s not a day spa as the name suggests. Nor is it a drunk tank, that is called the sofa at Trash Mansion.

With training coming up for our Red Earth City Rangers in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra, what better time is there to sign up to ranger at Burning Seed? In case you need a reminder why rangering is so fantastic...

At Burning Seed, you will experience a range of sights, sounds, smells (patchouli infused bacon anyone?) and touch. Some of these will be familiar to you and some may be challenging to you or push your boundaries.

Burning Seed encourages radical respectful interactions at all times. We also believe that everyone should be looking out for everyone's safety to ensure that Burning Seed is a safe event for everyone to radically express themselves. If you see something that you believe is not okay, you can say something. Calling this behaviour out in a simple way, can prevent something more serious from happening. It can also make it easier for other people to call this behaviour out in the future.

The P.E.E.R Rangers have compiled a list of six tips for anyone at Seed who notices that something or someone is not okay. It could be someone being catcalled while walking past a theme camp, or that creepy burner who is dancing too close to that unicorn on the dance floor. We can look out for each-others safety on the paddock. Intervening may give the person you’re concerned about, a chance to get to a safe place and leave the situation. You don't need any special training to help someone out of a difficult situation and by doing so, you could have an impact on the situation and potentially change the outcome.

Here’s how:

Tip 1: The Fake Friend

An effective and safe way of intervening in any harassment situation is to become a ‘fake friend’. However, make sure you ‘check in’ with your friend before you intervene, to make sure if your friend actually needs assistance. You may ask your ‘friend’ if they need a drink, or remind them that they needed to meet your other ‘friend’ back at camp. If you are unsure if they need assistance, do not leave them alone.

Tip 2: Call out the harasser

Most people stop once their behaviour has been acknowledged and scrutinized. Use these three simple “I” statements to call out perpetrators -

1) State your feelings: This is making me uncomfortable.

2) Name the behaviour: The way you’re talking to this person doesn’t seem ok to me.

3) State how you want the person to respond: Could you please change how you’re behaving?

Remember to focus on your feelings rather than criticising the other person.

Tip 3: Make Your Presence Felt

Let the harasser know that you can see, recognise and condemn their behaviour. Remember, you don’t have to speak to communicate. Sometimes a disapproving look or stare can be far more powerful than words. Also spilling your kool aid in front of the harasser, asking them for directions to a theme camp can work wonders in letting them know you’re aware of how they’re behaving.

Tip 4: Check In With The Target

One question alone can deter a harasser who believes no one will intervene. By doing this, the target then knows you have their back, creating a safer environment.

Some questions you can ask are:

“Are you okay?”

“Do you need any help?”

“Is that person bothering you?”

Tip 5: For Bystanders

Become the distraction! Use humour if you can, as humour reduces the tension of an intervention and makes it easier for the person to hear you. Try intervening between the target and the harasser, or create some form of commotion to allow the target to leave the situation. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this on your own - enlist the help of other burners around you.

There is safety and power in numbers - group intervention!

Tip 6: Be A Role Model

This is the most effective tip to end harassment. If you treat others with radical respect and look out for fellow beings, this will start the motion of a positive cycle set for your burner family and paddock friends.

In cases where you have tried all of the above, or if the situation has become too dangerous to intervene - you can always call for a Ranger to help. You can do this by asking another bystander to find a ranger on duty (they will be roaming in pairs wearing orange vests with radios), or for more serious cases of harassment or sexual assault, the victim can seek the emotional support of our P.E.E.R Rangers (wearing purple armbands and trained to deal with distressing situations). Rangers are available 24 hours every day of the event.

With reports of the tragic event at Burning Man coming in, it highlights for us at Burning Seed how important our support services are to us as organisers and, more importantly, as community members. Throughout the year we create and update safety policies and procedures, to help us to best serve our community and ensure we all enjoy a safe event.

But we really can’t do this without you.

Currently we are looking for approximately 100 people to step up and participate in four key community safety and support crews.They are:

PEER Rangers

PEER Rangers provide support on the Paddock for participants who are having an emotional, mental or psychological crisis that goes beyond the capacity of their local Burner community and Red Earth City Rangers to manage, but that does not yet need medical services.

They provide immediate emotional, psychological and peer support to participants of all ages, who may require a safe space to process their experiences and to regain a more balanced outlook.

Sanctuary exists to provide participants a chill out space for when they are having difficulty adjusting to the stimuli at Seed. Some participants may need to take time out from their immediate environment in order to be reintegrated back into the event safely.

We are seeking volunteers who are empathetic, compassionate listeners, and who can remain calm under pressure, to help run Sanctuary as Sitters.

The Red Earth City Rangers are our on-the-ground team of experienced Burners who roam the site making sure that all is well. Rangers are usually the first to attend to an emergency on site, and work in close collaboration with the Medical, Fire Safety and Security teams. They also help manage safety during key Seed events like the Effigy and Temple burns, so a sharp focus, cool head and the ability to respond appropriately to a developing situation is required.

Ranger operations run for the duration of the event and operate 24-hours. No experience is necessary and full training will be provided for first timers.

That's right folks, there are no longer any adult tickets available to Burning Seed: Deeper Space on Quicket.

However if you left it too late, don't despair! We have the Secure Ticket Exchange Program (STEP) going live at midday on September 6th to resell tickets and purchase any if you missed out. And yes, you still need to have a Burner Profile complete to purchase a ticket via STEP.

SOME THINGS TO NOTE:

If you are buying through STEP you have 48 hours to complete the purchase once you are allocated a ticket

If you are selling through STEP you will be refunded the face value of the ticket ($195) but not the booking fee

Only adult tickets are bought and sold through STEP. Kids and youth tickets are still available on the main Quicket page right here.